Peter Markland

Debate directly related to English Chess Federation matters.
Paul McKeown
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Peter Markland

Post by Paul McKeown » Thu Feb 18, 2021 1:59 am

Hi, I wonder if someone of knowledge of ECF and FIDE procedures can help here.

A well-known player from the past is Peter Markland, originally from Bolton, a contemporary of Martyn Corden's at Bolton School, the same school that later produced Nigel Short. Bolton at the time often dominated Lancashire chess, and Lancashire chess dominated English chess. Markland played two Olympiads for England, was a member of the English team which won the Clare Benedict tournament for the very first time in 1974, which rather signalled English chess's later rise to power in the 1980s. Markland later took up postal chess becoming England's 6th ICCF GM in 1984, withdrawing from otb play.

When FIDE introduced its original rating list in January 1971, the highest rated English player on the list was Peter Richard Markland, equal 63rd on the list, with a rating of 2510.

Earlier today, I had the privilege of interviewing Peter online on behalf of Richmond Juniors; his young grandson is a club member and desperately proud of grandad. A question from the young audience was, did Peter have an over-the-board playing title? He said that he has, of course, the old British Master title, equivalent more or less to FIDE's International Master title.

However, he does not have a playing title, to his knowledge, from FIDE.

I understand that the ECF went through the exercise of chasing up historical FIDE titles at some stage. Is this one that fell through the cracks, or is there a certificate at Hastings waiting to be united with its owner?

My understanding - which may be completely wrong for all I know of these things - is that ratings are now retrospectively applicable in title applications. If that is correct - and I may be barking up a forest of confused trees here - surely Markland ought to possess the FIDE Master title, based on having exceeded the 2300 threshold by an enormous margin, even if that happened many years before the FIDE Master title was first instituted?

Asking on behalf of his proud grandson.

David Sedgwick
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Re: Peter Markland

Post by David Sedgwick » Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:33 am

Paul, if you go to https://ratings.fide.com/ and look up "Markland" you will find that Peter M has a current, albeit long inactive, FIDE rating of 2390.

This demonstrates that he is eligible to apply for the FM title. This title is not, and never has been, awarded automatically on reaching the 2300 threshold.

Please then go to https://www.englishchess.org.uk/fide-2/ where you will find details of the application procedure and of the fee payable. In particular Peter, or you on his behalf, should contact David Clayton, the ECF International Rating Officer.

You will see from the link that the ECF may pay for some titles. This does not normally extend to the FM title. Whether an exception might be made for so distinguished an applicant is not for me to say, but you could ask David C to enquire.

Details of Peter's results when representing England, and at least some of his games, can be found on the Olimpbase website, http://www.olimpbase.org. If his grandson is old enough to undertake the task, you might like to set him the project of locating them.

NickFaulks
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Re: Peter Markland

Post by NickFaulks » Thu Feb 18, 2021 11:46 am

David Sedgwick wrote:
Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:33 am
Details of Peter's results when representing England, and at least some of his games, can be found on the Olimpbase website
That website is beginning to creak a bit, but if you have trouble loading the games, try another browser rather than giving up.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

Paul McKeown
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Re: Peter Markland

Post by Paul McKeown » Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:46 pm

David Sedgwick wrote:
Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:33 am
Please then go to https://www.englishchess.org.uk/fide-2/ where you will find details of the application procedure and of the fee payable. In particular Peter, or you on his behalf, should contact David Clayton, the ECF International Rating Officer.
Thank you, David. I will do this at once.

The Olimpbase record for Markland, Peter Richard can be found at: http://www.olimpbase.org/players-ind/7/77vjbd3n.html.

Nigel Short
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Re: Peter Markland

Post by Nigel Short » Sat Feb 20, 2021 5:47 pm

Can we not apply for an IM title for him, Nick? He is certainly worth it in today's money.

Nick Ivell
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Re: Peter Markland

Post by Nick Ivell » Sat Feb 20, 2021 7:24 pm

I will always remember Peter's fine performance against Karpov. Ok, he lost - no surprise there.

It was a great fight. I was reading about Hugh Alexander in another thread. He wrote brilliantly about that game. He knew talent when he saw it.

Paul McKeown
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Re: Peter Markland

Post by Paul McKeown » Sun Feb 21, 2021 2:59 am

David Sedgwick wrote:
Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:33 am
You will see from the link that the ECF may pay for some titles. This does not normally extend to the FM title. Whether an exception might be made for so distinguished an applicant is not for me to say, but you could ask David C to enquire.
Thank you once more for your good advice.

The good news is that Rob Willmott, Director of Membership has kindly raised the matter with other members of the ECF Board, and they have agreed in the case of a distinguished former player of PM's calibre, that the ECF would be happy to absorb FIDE’s administrative fees.

The matter has now been passed on to David Clayton, International Rating Officer of the ECF, for further processing and eventual submission to FIDE.

Paul McKeown
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Re: Peter Markland

Post by Paul McKeown » Sun Feb 21, 2021 3:02 am

Nigel Short wrote:
Sat Feb 20, 2021 5:47 pm
Can we not apply for an IM title for him, Nick? He is certainly worth it in today's money.
I think it would be entirely appropriate, as Markland's play was certainly at that level.

I know that FIDE occasionally awards an Honorary Grandmaster title.

Is there an equivalent Honorary International Master title?

Paul McKeown
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Re: Peter Markland

Post by Paul McKeown » Sun Feb 21, 2021 3:03 am

Nick Ivell wrote:
Sat Feb 20, 2021 7:24 pm
I will always remember Peter's fine performance against Karpov. Ok, he lost - no surprise there.

It was a great fight. I was reading about Hugh Alexander in another thread. He wrote brilliantly about that game. He knew talent when he saw it.
Yes, it was a great fight, and PM still remembers it with enthusiasm!

Paul Habershon
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Re: Peter Markland

Post by Paul Habershon » Sun Feb 21, 2021 11:00 am

Paul McKeown wrote:
Sun Feb 21, 2021 3:03 am
Nick Ivell wrote:
Sat Feb 20, 2021 7:24 pm
I will always remember Peter's fine performance against Karpov. Ok, he lost - no surprise there.

It was a great fight. I was reading about Hugh Alexander in another thread. He wrote brilliantly about that game. He knew talent when he saw it.
Yes, it was a great fight, and PM still remembers it with enthusiasm!
I was spectating at Hastings when Peter Markland played a brilliant move (was it Bd5! ?) to beat Hort.

Tim Harding
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Re: Peter Markland

Post by Tim Harding » Sun Feb 21, 2021 11:41 am

I was at Wijk aan Zee 1973 (playing in a Reserve Master Group, effectively the 3rd section) when Peter was in the Master group (2nd section).

He threw away half a point because he didn't know the correct way to claim a repetition draw, i.e., he made the move on the board before claiming so the opponent varied and won the game. Peter told me about it and I had to explain the rule to him.

I am not sure what he scored in that event but I don't think it was an IM result and it would have cost him rating points.

I think basically Peter had one great result and maybe another IM result but never qualified for the IM title or it would have been claimed. Having the great result first meant he got on to the FIDE list with a high number which he knew was disproportionate to his real strength,

Clearly he could apply for the FM title and he is already an ICCF grandmaster.
Tim Harding
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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Peter Markland

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Sun Feb 21, 2021 4:04 pm

Paul McKeown wrote:
Sun Feb 21, 2021 3:02 am
Is there an equivalent Honorary International Master title?
I do not think so, any application would have to be for a straight IM title one suspects.
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Paul McKeown
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Re: Peter Markland

Post by Paul McKeown » Sun Feb 21, 2021 5:24 pm

Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Sun Feb 21, 2021 4:04 pm
Paul McKeown wrote:
Sun Feb 21, 2021 3:02 am
Is there an equivalent Honorary International Master title?
I do not think so, any application would have to be for a straight IM title one suspects.
My question was rhetorical. If there had been strong grounds based on PM's international playing career to apply for the IM title for him, then I would trust that the ECF would have investigated or would now investigate the possibility.

As GM Nigel Short has indicated (and he would know these things much more clearer than any knitting circle of ouwehoeren, given his career at the very top of chess), Markland's achievements in international chess in the period 1968 - 1974 are "certainly worth it" in the current currency of the IM title.

It is on this basis that I suggested the title of HIM. It might not yet exist, but it could possibly exist if justification for its existence were shown. I imagine that there are a number of other countries (e.g. the various post-independence former Soviet states) in which there exist such deserving cases.

Paul McKeown
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Re: Peter Markland

Post by Paul McKeown » Sun Feb 21, 2021 5:24 pm

Paul Habershon wrote:
Sun Feb 21, 2021 11:00 am
Paul McKeown wrote:
Sun Feb 21, 2021 3:03 am
Nick Ivell wrote:
Sat Feb 20, 2021 7:24 pm
I will always remember Peter's fine performance against Karpov. Ok, he lost - no surprise there.

It was a great fight. I was reading about Hugh Alexander in another thread. He wrote brilliantly about that game. He knew talent when he saw it.
Yes, it was a great fight, and PM still remembers it with enthusiasm!
I was spectating at Hastings when Peter Markland played a brilliant move (was it Bd5! ?) to beat Hort.
It's his favourite game, it seems!

NickFaulks
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Re: Peter Markland

Post by NickFaulks » Sun Feb 21, 2021 5:28 pm

Nigel Short wrote:
Sat Feb 20, 2021 5:47 pm
Can we not apply for an IM title for him, Nick? He is certainly worth it in today's money.
So are coachloads of people, I'm afraid.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

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